SWEPT-SOURCE OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY IN CHOROIDAL MELANOMA: An Analysis of 22 Consecutive Cases.

PURPOSE: To describe the imaging features of choroidal melanoma using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCT-A) and to evaluate its ability to display tumor intrinsic vasculature.

METHODS: Consecutive patients diagnosed with choroidal melanoma underwent a complete ophthalmic evaluation, including best-corrected visual acuity, color fundus photography, B-scan ultrasound, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, and SS-OCT-A (PLEX Elite 9000; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Dublin, CA).

RESULTS: Twenty-two eyes of 22 consecutive patients were included in the study; 11 cases (50%) were treatment naive. Three lesions (14%) were located at the macula, 14 (63%) between the macula and equator, and 5 (23%) between the equator and the ora serrata. The mean tumor base and thickness were, respectively, 10.3 mm (range 5-15 mm) and 4.3 mm (range 1.5-8.9 mm). Seventeen lesions (77%) were dome shaped, whereas 5 (23%) had a mushroom configuration. Thirteen lesions (59%) were pigmented, 5 (23%) partially pigmented, and 4 (18%) amelanotic. An exudative retinal detachment was documented in 13 eyes (59%). Fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography were performed in 20 patients and disclosed intrinsic microvasculature of the tumor, respectively, in 4 (20%) and 20 (100%) cases. Swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography was performed in 22 eyes and detected microvasculature of choroidal melanoma in all cases. Specifically, intrinsic vasculature could be recognized in 14 eyes (64%) using the automated choroid segmentation, 16 eyes (73%) using the automated whole eye segmentation, and in 22 eyes (100%) with fine manual adjustments of segmentation lines.

CONCLUSION: Swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography represents a valid imaging technique to evaluate patients affected by choroidal melanomas. In our series, SS-OCT-A disclosed the intrinsic microvasculature of the tumor in all cases despite their size, location, and history of previous treatments.